The Cowboys Take a Risk at Safety

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Outside of Mana Silva's extended family, there isn't anyone who thinks that Silva's presence on the roster for the Cowboys this season is going to be the difference between the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat.

So it is that Silva's departure from the roster to make room for punter Brian Moorman is the kind of thing almost always met with a shrug because it is the kind of ultimately inconsequential roster shuffling that goes on over the course of a season. The team needs a healthy punter more than they need an extra safety and such is the accounting of football life.

Here's the thing about this trivial move, though. Cutting Silva leaves the Cowboys with a grand total of two healthy safeties heading into Monday night's game with the Bears.

Barry Church is out, Matt Johnson hasn't played at all this year and Gerald Sensabaugh missed last week with a calf injury. Sensabaugh's presence is far from guaranteed this week, which leaves Danny McCray and Eric Frampton as the healthy members of the unit.

You'll not that Frampton's time with the team came alive earlier this week, so he's not exactly well versed in the team's defense. While it is a good sign that the team obviously loves his way more than they loved Silva's, hopes of Frampton being a big contributor this week are slim.

That will mean a lot of Brandon Carr at safety, most likely, which makes it a moment to once again say a word of thanks to the Cowboys for not trading Mike Jenkins this offseason. For all Jenkins' foibles, playing him at corner is far more appealing than the prospect of playing Frampton (or Silva) at safety for any meaningful stretch on Sunday.

Now, Sensabaugh practiced for the second straight day on Thursday so this may be a much smaller risk after an extra day to prepare for the Bears. A healthy Sensabaugh, McCray and Carr would work fine as safety options without pressing Frampton into the lineup. Without Sensabaugh, though, the Cowboys look anything but safe at safety right now.